Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-03-05
CHAT WITH STANFORD
The Richest Senator and His Home in
WashingtOn-HOW the Californian
Talks and Acts,
His UniVersity-Why Stanford Went
to CalifOrnia-His "Reminiscences
OF President Lincoln.
Special Correspondence THE DEMOCRAT


white stone house in the heart of fashionable
Washington. It is within four or five squares
of the White House, and the big mansion of
the British legation is about as far distant in
the opposite direction. The house faces Far
ragut square, with its bronze statue Of the
noted admiral, and it adjoins the house occu-
pied by the millionaire congressman, Scott,
of Pennsylvania. Stanford is by all odds the
richest man in the senate. Scott is the rich
est man in the house of representatives, and
thus these two richest men live side by side
Scott, however, is put down at SO, OO0, OOO
while Stanford has been estimated as high
As six times this amount
Senator Stanfords Washington home is a
magnificent one, but it is by no means the fin
est at the capital. Its front door is reached
10y wide steps and a generous vestibule adj
mits you to a hall of like proportions. Large
parlors open into this hallway, and stairways
with broad steps and with several landings
lead to a second story. The furnishing of the
hall is very rich, and the portieres leading
into the parlor are of japanese silk richly
embroidered. The parlor is big enough for a
city council chamber. 1t is divided in half
by a rich Japanese portiere and it is lighted
with chandeliers and lamps of carved brass.
Beautiful pictures, which Senator Stanford
has picked up here and there over the world,
hang upon the wall, and all the surroundings
are those of culture and beauty. There Is no
attempt at an extravagant display of wealth,
though the furniture is of the richest and
Il
looks as though its owners were accustomed
TO use it. 1t has connected with its beauty
and richness an air of home like, every day
friendlness about it, the which you better APP
preciate when you come into contact with
Senator Stanford himself.
Senator Stanford is the example of a mil
ionaire whom riches have not spoiled. He is
as plain in his manners and as democratic in
his views as he was when as a young lawyer
he made his first fight for fortune in a Wis
consin village There is nothing snobbish
about him. You feel that he is a gentleman
and that he considers you one. He is man
of broad views, of wide reading and extend
ed travel He talks well, is interested in all
public matters and has an opinion on most
OF them. -
l chatted with him about his new univer-
sity, and he grew enthusiastic in talking
about its possibilities He is anxious that his
fortune should accomplish some good in this
world while he lives and that it should go on
working after his death. He told me that the
provisions of the university were such that he
thought it would have good income for
many years to come. The beouest iSso word.
ed that the income of the large extent of lane
surrounding it is to be devoted to it alone
and so that the lands cannot be sold. II.
ownership is perpetuated in the university a,
far as it is possible to vest such rights in this
country
The land which Senator Stanford gives to
this university is noted for its fertility, and it
has a reservoir which will supply 5000, 900
gallons of water daily throughout the year
even if there is no rain fall. This will insui.
the thorough irrigation Of the land during al, |
seasons, and it will probably be the mode
farming land of California A town vii, |
grow up in connection with the university |
and it is Senator Stanford's idea to give such |
students as desire it all the facilities for /
complete agricultural education.
&*s
The scheme Of the university is not entirely /
formulated as yet, but the ground will be |
broken for the buildings next spring. and tn, |
plans are now being made. The buildings /
will be of one story, well up from the ground |
and the present intention is to have a number /
of arcades like those of Turin or Paris, run
ming from one part of the university to the |
other Everything will be of the most sub |
stantial nature and approved character, and |
the buildings will be erected with the idea /
that they are to last for generations. Senator
Stanford told me that he wished to furnish
educational system and that there
would probably be two divisions, an acad-
envy or preparatory school, and the college
proper. 1t is his idea to make no dis
tinction between the professors of the academy
and the college; that is he does not wish the
professors of one to feel that they have
higher rank than those of the other. The
college will have complete mechanical and
chemical laboratories. 1t will have the best
professors that can be secured, and it will
furnish education at a very moderate cost
go
Senator Stanford does not believe that il
would be wise to furnish educational advan-
tages for nothing. He says: "That which
costs nothing is estimated as being worth
nothing" and he believes there is such a
thing as educating children to be paupers.
lie tells me there will probably be some pro
VISION for the education of needy children,
who either through their fathers or them
selves are deserving of assistance, but he saws
the rule will be to put the tuition and board
so low that almost any one can paw it. Said
he: "The actual necessities of life cost but
little, and it is the nck-nacks which count
If man or boy chooses to eat that which is
and good he can get it for a very
small sum, and my idea is that board could
be furnished amid the rich farming facilities
which will surround this university at the
same prices that used to be paid in the coun-
try where / was brought up in New York.
At the academies there our tuition cost only
tS or 90 a quarter, and we could get good
board for ten or twelve shilings week A
man can supply his necessities if he has TO on
tL5O a week, and in this university com
munity everything will be cheap. Milk
ought not to cost here more than two cents q
quart, and vegetables and fruits will be very
cheap. The rates will be such as to both
tuition and board that no poor boy or CIR
who is willing to work for an education viii
need to do without it."
-.
asked Senator Stanford as to the extrava-
giant stables which the newspapers said he
s,n puiialng in Washington. He replied:
rIVNNtS IL /